


5th reading : Santa's apprentice

by Neen_sama



Series: Road to Christmas [5]
Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Christmas Special, Fantasy, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 11:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17141132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neen_sama/pseuds/Neen_sama
Summary: Every 100 years, a boy is chosen to be the next Santa





	5th reading : Santa's apprentice

\- Are you sure we're at the right place, Sho?  
\- Satoshi, you know very well that the sledge is never wrong, otherwise how do you want the master to make his deliveries in the right homes? Seriously, what were you doing during your training?  
\- I know, I know, but there is a first time at everything right?  
\- Drop one tone, you'll wake them up!  
\- Sorry.

His companion gently pushed the door in front of them and they entered the room bathed in a soft subdued light. They advanced to the cradle in front of them and bent a moment to contemplate the deep sleep of the newborn who was resting there.

\- He's so cute! Satoshi murmured while the other gently took the baby in his arms.  
\- Take the blanket in the bed, it's cold outside.

Satoshi complied and wrapped the child in as best he could.

\- Perfect, take him. I take care of the parents.

Immediately, Sho placed the child in his arms and they left the room. But when they were in the corridor, they came face to face with the child's father.

\- Hey! Who are you ? Give me back my son and go away or I call the p...

The man did not have time to finish his sentence because Sho, thanks to his powers, made him fall asleep and caught him before he hit the ground.

\- It was less one. He whispered, running his hand over the man's face. He will sleep until tomorrow and will not even remember that he had a son. I'll put him back to bed and take care of the mother. Meanwhile, make the child's room disappear.  
\- Yes boss!  
\- I'm not your boss, Satoshi.

Sho left him to go to the next room and after a last look at the baby who was still sleeping in his arms, Satoshi did what he asked. The door disappeared and the walls came closer to each other, leaving no trace of the boy's existence.

A little later, they returned to settle in the sledge which Sho took the reins. After adding one more warm blanket around the baby, they flied on their way home.

\- Sho?  
\- Hum?  
\- Do you really think we can take him away from his family?  
\- We have no choice, it's the chosen boy and it's the procedure. He will not remember anything more than his parents. Don't worry like that.

He sighed.

\- What's his name already?

Sho searched in the pocket of his coat and took out a piece of paper, which he read carefully before answering.

\- His name is Masaki.  
\- Masaki, you can't imagine everything waiting for you, little guy.

*****

12 years later ...

The wind whips his face and the immaculate landscapes scroll at full speed before his eyes he sees a little further his best friend riding, like him, a reindeer. He catches up, overtakes him and turns to pull his tongue out.

A few meters further, he stops the animal and puts his foot on the ground in the powdery snow.

\- There, Gunther, you're a good reindeer. Said the teenager caressing the muzzle of his faithful companion.

His friend finally arrives and gets off his reindeer in turn.

\- I won again, Kazu!  
\- Yeah Masaki, don't make a fuss! I just chose the wrong reindeer. Responds the other boy caressing his horned friend too.  
\- Don't say that, you know that our instinct pushes us to choose the animal that is made for us. In addition Mario loves you.  
\- I never said the opposite.

The boy leaned over and rolled a snowball that he threw into Masaki's neck, whose gave a little cry and fired back immediately. Embarking them in a merciless battle that soon ends up rolled-up in the icy snow animated by the bursts of laughter of the two boys.

Lying side by side, breathless, they stared at their breaths to become misty and mingle with each other before rising to far in the sky, when the roar of a reindeer resounded in the white immensity where they were refugees. They straightened up and seeing that their own animals were facing the source of the cry, they knew only too well what was waiting for them.

A young man arrived at their height on a reindeer similar to theirs but much more imposing due to the old age of this one.

The two teenagers sighed together.

\- You found us again ... grumbled the youngest and smallest of the two.  
\- It's not difficult to follow the trail of two reindeer in the snow. Come on, I'll take you back home.  
\- But Sho, let us have a little fun for once!  
\- For once ? You say that as if you were forced to work tirelessly.  
\- You're an elf who says that to an elf in formation.

Sho slapped the top of Kazu's head.

\- There are hundreds of elves, but you Kazunari, you will be one of the two most important elves.  
\- I know, when Masaki will become the new Santa, Jun and I have the duty to accompany him and be his first assistants. Thank you, I know all that.  
\- And obviously there is only one who is aware of his future role.  
\- Yeah, J the bootlicker.  
\- Stop talking and come back, Satoshi is waiting for you and teach you your lesson.

*****

\- Aaaaaah ... My stomach is full ... said Kazunari, falling on his bed after dinner.  
\- You were again in a reindeer race? Jun asked as he entered the room on Masaki's heels.  
\- Yep! replied the latter happily.  
\- When will you grow up?

Kazunari straightened up and swung his pillow at Jun, who avoided the projectile nimbly and crossed his arms over his chest.

\- What are you playing here?  
\- "When will you grow up?" You're not our father and I'll let you know that you're the youngest of us three. We are only twelve, Jun, let us enjoy life.  
\- Exactly, we're twelve years old and Masaki will soon be thirteen, do you know what that means?

Kazunari shrugged.

\- Did you sleep in the lessons of Satoshi or what? When he reaches the age of thirteen, the future Santa Claus and his two companions accompany the master in his distribution of gifts around the world. The master has already spoken to you in more detail Masaki?  
\- Not yet. Masaki vaguely said, staring at the blanket that had never left his bed since he was a baby.

His two friends came to live near him and surrounded his shoulders with their arms.

\- You don't seem to be impatient to see the world you come from. Kazunari pointed out.  
\- That's right, me in your place I would be excited !  
\- It's easy for you, you don't have parents, Christmas elves are born in magic eggs. I am human, I must have parents somewhere and they will never see me.  
\- They don't suffer, they have no memories of you, Sho erased their memory when they went to get you with Satoshi. Jun said.  
\- I know but I want to see them, just see them once.  
\- It's impossible, even if you knew their address, they may not have children to deliver gifts and the master will never let you away from him during the tour.  
\- I know. Masaki sighed.  
\- Well ... you don't need parents, you have us, and Satoshi and Sho. Kazunari said.  
\- Yeah and we're going to accompany you for a whole century, so you'd better love us! Jun added, shaking his friend by the shoulders.  
\- Do you imagine that one day we will call him "master" and we will have to father his descendant?  
\- Hey! It's not my fault if you came out of a golden elve egg and not a regular one!

The three teenagers burst out laughing until someone knocked on their bedroom door. Sho entered.

\- The master wants to see you Masaki.  
\- Hum.

The boy got up and followed his preceptor to Santa's room. To tell the truth, he rarely saw him. The master of the house was not in charge of his education until he was old enough to follow him on his tours. That's why the prospect of a discussion with him made Masaki a bit nervous.

\- Sho?  
\- Yes ?  
\- Do you remember the day you brought me back here?  
\- Yes why?  
\- I wondered if you remember how my parents were.  
\- Not really, no.  
\- Didn't you feel anything taking off their baby like that and erase their memory?  
\- I did it without thinking too much or even face them, precisely to avoid this kind of remorse. Satoshi hesitated a bit to bring you but there is only one elected by century Masaki and we should not fail in this part of our duty.  
\- Oh I see...

Sho stopped, sighed and lowered himself to Masaki's height before taking him by the shoulders.

\- I know I look severe with you, Jun and Kazunari, but don't forget that you were raised by Satoshi and I and not only to prepare for your future work but also as our sons. Know that we care about you and the master too, even if he doesn't see you very often. When your turn comes, you will understand what I am talking about. Come, the master is waiting for you.

*****

Santa was waiting for Masaki sitting in his armchair near the fireplace and for a moment the teenager remained frozen in front of the door that Sho had closed, somewhat intimidated by this imposing man.

\- Come sit Masaki, don't be afraid. Do you want some hot chocolate?

Masaki advanced to the free chair and nodded. Satoshi had told them that Santa was often portrayed by humans as a big, white-bearded man dressed in red, but in truth he was not. He was not physically older than 40 because of his inability to grow old, like Santa Claus and his personal elves when he was on duty, was beardless, and did not wear red at all, much less during his tours.

\- Are you impatient to learn concretely the distribution of gifts with me?  
\- Hum.  
\- You'll soon be 13 years old, how time flies! I have the impression that it was yesterday that Satoshi and Sho brought this tiny baby to my office to introduce him to me.

Masaki smiled.

\- Still 17 years and you will take my place while my age will catch me and I will leave this world.  
\- Master ?  
\- Yes ?  
\- Have you ever seen your parents on one of your tours?

The man took a sip of his chocolate before answering Masaki.

\- No never. Why ? would you like to see yours?  
\- A little. You never wondered what yours looked like? And what if their memory was not well erased and they remember me? They must have a lot of worries.  
\- I reassure you, it never happens.  
\- How can you know?  
\- I know it, that's all.

The teenager grumbled in his teeth as he stared at the contents of his cup.

\- I also asked all these questions when I was your age, you'll forget over time, you'll see. Are you unhappy with us?

Masaki shook his head. There was a knock on the door and an elf put his head in the crack.

\- Master, we have a problem in the workshop, could you come take a look?

Santa got up from his chair and gave Masaki a last look before leaving.

\- I'll be right back, wait for me here.

And he left the room. The boy stared at the fire crackling in the fireplace and curiously scanned the rest of the area to finally got up to better observe the entire room. He stopped in front of the large oak desk of the Master of the place and wanted to take advantage of his absence to settle there as if it was already his own. Once seated at this imposing table that offered a view of the rest of the living room, a certain sense of pride filled him and he smiled to himself. The next few minutes, when he looked down at the documents on the desk, he saw a sheet of paper sticking out of the pile, which must have known better days. It looked old, yellowed, the ink with which we had written on it was fading a little in places, and it looked as if someone had folded it many times to get it into a pocket.

Curiosity prevailed, Masaki seized it and quickly read what was written there. He recognized his name and date of birth, and just before he rested the sheet where he found it, he noticed that there was a family name that followed his name and two other names and an address. . The coordinates of his parents he judged. Hearing footsteps in the hallway, he hurriedly stuffed the sheet into his trouser pocket and ran back to his seat as if nothing had happened and resumed his conversation with Santa on his return.

*****

\- You're crazy ?! And if we get caught? Kazunari snapped, yet following his friend in the middle of the night to the shed where they were looking for.  
\- And worse! We are not yet qualified enough to fly alone with the sled, we could hurt ourselves or die! Jun added, following behind.  
\- Relax, you two. Just a little stop and we come back. You're with me or not?  
\- What are you taking us for? the younger boy was offended. Of course we come, it is our duty and our destiny to be together.

Some time later, the reindeer were hitched to the sled and the three teens settled in, Masaki at the controls.

\- Good, one, two, three! he said, throwing the sled on the launch pad.

By the time the first reindeer went beyond this, he clung to his friends who did the same and closed his eyes waiting for the next events and expecting the worst. But luckily for him, Jun shook him, crying happily with Kazunari that they had succeeded. He then opened his eyes and could see the ground far beneath their feet and the reindeer galloping in the void: He was flying.

They were flying for the first time and alone more. They first took the time to admire the view that was open to them, but the reason soon resumed control and Masaki took out the sheet of paper he had taken in Santa's office and inserted it into the slot on the front of the sled. This allowed the flying vehicle to go to a specific address or set of addresses if one was inserted as the future Santa Claus had just done.

\- Where do live your parents? Asked Kazunari.  
\- In Chiba, Japan. Masaki replied happily, he had memorized the contents of the piece of paper.  
\- I can't wait to see them. Said Jun.  
\- I thought you were against the idea.  
\- Now that we are right in our plan, I have no more choice. Even if we are going to be killed so much when we come home.  
\- Relax yourself a little, Jun, and enjoy the ride. Kazunari said putting his feet on the dashboard of the sled and thrown his head back to scrutinize the starry sky.

Masaki, meanwhile, was dying of impatience at the prospect of finally arriving and seeing those who had brought him into the world.

*****

The sledge had deposited them on the roof of a house. They went down carefully, and all three slipped on the balcony of the house. They had been taught to make themselves invisible to humans when they came down to earth and they remembered their lesson without a problem.

Masaki looked out the window. A curtain was not fully closed, and the light from the street lit up the room so that the boy could see it was a bedroom. Unfortunately, it was empty of its occupants.

\- There is nobody. he said sadly.  
\- They are surely elsewhere in the house. Kazunari said.  
\- No, all the lights are off inside. They have surely come out.  
\- I'll wait until they come back. said Masaki, who sat down against the window to watch the deserted street.  
\- As you wish.

Kazunari settled next to him.

\- What ? We must not hang out here, we must return! We don't know when or even if they will come back before sunrise! Affolves Jun  
\- Put it a little muted, we didn't come here for nothing! the other elf grunted.  
\- I see people coming!

The three teenagers rushed to the balcony and jumped to the ground. The newcomers were indeed the inhabitants of the house, Masaki's parents. He just watched as they arrived, entered their driveway and unlocked their front door. Two children were with them, a boy and a girl, and the whole family seemed joyful, happy as they laughed together despite the late hour. Even with the poor light of the street, Masaki recognized himself in them and a part of emptiness in his heart filled up, he now knew precisely where he came from and that his parents were happy without any memory of his existence.

They finally returned home and it was only then that Masaki realized he was crying.

\- What do you have ? Kazunari asked.  
\- You're sad ?

The future Santa Claus turned to them and dried his tears with a smile.

\- No, I'm happy, because they are too. He said dragging his friends with him to go back in the sled and go home.

*****

From the top of his office window, Santa watched the three boys pull in his sleigh and bring the reindeer back to their stable, smiling.

\- Master, do you really think it was a good idea to leave the address of his parents in evidence?  
\- Sho, for pity, we grew up together, you can call me Tomoya, you know?  
\- That doesn't answer my question.  
\- Look at them Sho and you'll get your answer! Said Satoshi happily pointing to the teenagers below who jostled each other in the snow as they returned to the house.

The elf approached the window and could not help smiling at the children he had raised.

\- This boy will make a very good Santa, I'm sure.

*****

The following century ...

Masaki, who had become Santa for many years now, read one of the many children's letters he received each year at Christmas when someone knocked on his door.

\- Yes?

And he immediately jumped from his chair because his visitors were none other than his old friends as well as the newcomer of the workshop.

\- It went well ? he asked as he approached Kazunari who was holding the baby wrapped in a blanket in his arms.  
\- Perfectly if you forget the fact that Jun almost crashed us with the sled.  
\- Hey! I would like to see you there!  
\- Chhhhhhht! You'll wake up Shunsuke! Muttered Masaki.  
\- Sorry.  
\- You should go to bed, it will be better. And make sure he doesn't need anything, I'm counting on you!  
\- Yes sir! Kazunari replied as he left Jun.

It was only when the door closed completely that Masaki went back to his office and carefully put the card in with information about the child who would be his heir. Maybe one day, he would be awkward, leave it there and look in the opposite direction when Shunsuke borrow his sled for a night.

 

That's all, I hope you liked it and mostly : Happy Birthday Masaki and Merry Christmas to evryone ! ^^


End file.
